Behavioral Adaptations

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Behavioral Adaptations
behavior is the complete list of everything an
animal does includes both obvious things
(movement, etc) and chemical signaling also
includes the evolution of behaviors-- where did
they come from? innate behaviors behaviors
performed identically by all members of a
species in response to a particular
stimulus fixed action pattern (FAP) innate
behavior which, once started, will be
continued even if other stimuli interrupt it
many behaviors are responses to relatively simple
stimuli
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Behavioral Adaptations
behaviors are based on BOTH genes and
environment- neither alone is able to act by
itself prairie vole mating shows both
effects unmated prairie voles are
non-agressive mated males are not agressive
toward their mates, but ARE agressive toward
other males or females two hormones (vasopressin
and oxytocin) control this behavior promiscuous
mountain voles express both hormones
differently
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Behavioral Adaptations
other behaviors can also be manipulated some
dogs will care for kittens if they feel the
kittens are part of their litter
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Behavioral Adaptations
learning is another type of behavior, and it is
not limited to humans chimps can learn sign
language songbirds learn how to sing from

their parents (partly regulated by

several different genes)
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Behavioral Adaptations
imprinting early learning that identifies a
moving sound as 'mother' allows a chick to
generally identify it's mother (even when it's
not) sensitive period short interval where
imprinting can occur is involved in song
learning as well as salmon spawning in same
stream
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Behavioral Adaptations
imprinting causes problems for captive breeding
programs for endangered species, various
breeding programs are trying to increase the
numbers of the individuals migratory animals
have a problem-- they need someone to show them
where they need to go whooping cranes have even
been taught to follow an ultralight plane!
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Behavioral Adaptations
movement is a common type of behavior-- some
directed, others random a kinesis is some random
movement in response to a basic stimulus a taxis
is an automatic movement response to some
stimulus (ie. moving toward a shadow or the
light) spatial learning is movement in response
to an environment (ie. a maze)
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Behavioral Adaptations
animals have several spatial maps in their brain
including the hippocampus important for both
migration, but also everyday movement maps
usually must be learned-- monarch butterflies
have an innate map
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Behavioral Adaptations
associative learning animals group some stimulus
with an expected response-- can be a cat
learning the sound of a food can opening often
associated with fear or pain Pavlov was a russian
scientist who trained dogs with associative
learning learning can enhance a response, or it
can block a normal response sea slugs
(Aplysia) can learn not to withdraw their gill
slit or do it very quickly to avoid an
electrical shock
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Behavioral Adaptations
trial-and-error learning finding a positive or a
negative stimulus, and then either attempting
to repeat or avoid the experience social
learning learning by observing the behavior of
others human children do a LOT of social
learning
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Behavioral Adaptations
cognition ability to store, process and use
information chimps can learn to crack open
nuts racoons are notorious for getting to
food birds such as ravens or parrots also show
problem solving
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Behavioral Adaptations
foraging food finding behavior generalists eat
almost anything specialists eat few things
efficiently search image general
characteristics of the desired food-- ie.
scanning a shelf for a particular
color/shape optimal foraging theory idea that
animals provide maximal energy gain for
minimal energy expenditure have to worry not
only about finding food, but becoming
food! predation is a leading problem when an
animal is foraging-- can't put all their
attention on finding food or avoiding enemies
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Behavioral Adaptations
mating behavior any behavior that enhances
reproductive success promiscuous animals that
form no lasting mating relationships monogamous
animals mate and remain together for a long
period polygamous one individual of one sex
mates with several of the other behaviors depend
upon the needs of the offspring- mammals and
birds have young that require extensive care
to survive
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Behavioral Adaptations
matings can involve extensive mating displays and
elaborate rituals courtship determines 1) same
species 2) opposite sex 3) primed for
mating 4) not threating each other
mating is perhaps the most social of behaviors--
requires 2 partners sociobiology uses evolution
to interpret social bonding, including mating
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Behavioral Adaptations
territorial behavior an area (usually a fixed
location) that one or a group of animals claim
as their own-- defends it against others of same
species may be very small (such as a nest site)
or large (ie. lion pride)
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Behavioral Adaptations
dominance behavior where animals living in a
group organize themselves into a hierarcy
agonistic behaviors false combats and displays
to establish dominance true fights are
dangerous- often both suffer crippling wounds
once an animal loses, usually minimizes future
conflicts gorillas spend much time reconciling
other after agonistic behaviors
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Behavioral Adaptations
in humans, group behaviors combine genetic and
environmental factors researchers have divided
human mate preference into 10 attributes based
on 4 criteria-- wealth and status, family,
appearance, and fidelity when studied, people
choose those like themselves for mates makes
sense evolutionarily provides for long, stable
relationships also makes sense socially-
stability is good for family life culture
information transfer through social learning
that influences individual behavior